


Resonant

by Laylah



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Action/Adventure, Backstory, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Canon, Soul Bond, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-05
Updated: 2010-07-05
Packaged: 2017-10-10 09:51:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/98345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylah/pseuds/Laylah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate history: when Guy Cecil first entered service in Duke Fabre's household, he was bound to the young lord he was hired to care for. That bond changes everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Resonant

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cephy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cephy/gifts).



The butler interviews them first, and Pere does most of the talking for them both, but Guy has to answer some of the questions himself. He does pretty good. He's been practicing. He makes sure to sound humble and friendly and willing to do whatever the Fabres need. Whatever it takes.

Eventually the butler says, "Very well. There is one additional test for the young gentleman. If you will wait here, please, I will arrange it."

"Yes, sir," Guy says. It can't hurt to be a little extra polite.

He does his best not to fidget while they wait, and he _definitely_ doesn't look up at the sword hung on the wall. There are two maids left in the room with them, and they coo at Pere about how cute Guy is. He tries not to make faces at them talking about him like he's not there -- but when one of them comes over to try to touch him, he jumps back before he can help himself.

They giggle. "I'm sorry," Pere says. "He's very shy. We haven't had many chances to spend time with such friendly young ladies." Guy blushes, and the maids seem to think that's cute, too.

The butler comes back before they've had a chance to embarrass him too much more. "This way, please," he says.

Guy and Pere follow him through a door, down a hallway, then out into a courtyard. There's a man there who looks so imposing, he -- Guy tries not to give anything away when he realizes he's standing in front of Duke Fabre, at last. There's another man there, too, in the white coat of a fonist, and a little boy with the same red hair and green eyes as the duke.

Pere bows deeply when they get close, and Guy tries to copy him. The butler is invisible in the background somewhere. Guy thinks that must be a skill all butlers have.

"Guy, is it?" the duke says.

"Yes, sir," Guy says. He should say 'your grace,' but he gets away with it.

"Have you trained with a sword, Guy?" the duke asks.

Guy blinks in surprise. "Yes, sir," he says. "A little."

The duke nods. "I suppose there will be time to consider that later, if you pass," he says. "Maestro?"

"Your grace," the fonist says. He steps forward. He murmurs a few words too low to make out, and a ring of light forms on the ground around Guy's feet. Guy starts, but it doesn't hurt -- it feels sort of warm, actually. He's almost sorry when the fonist says something else and the light fades. "It should be possible, your grace," the fonist says. "His fon slots are appropriately receptive."

"Your grace," Pere says, and the nervousness in his voice makes Guy tense up a little. "Please, what do you intend?"

The duke smiles, like he was expecting the question. "Luke is very important to Kimlasca," he says, and the boy next to him stands up a little straighter. "We are seeking an appropriate candidate to be his personal servant."

"I can do it," Guy says. It's perfect, isn't it? Letting him get that close? The duke looks so _proud_ of his son. "Give me a chance."

"You do not protest, I hope?" the duke says, not to him but to Pere.

"No protest, your grace," Pere says, but he still doesn't sound happy.

The fonist nods. "Excellent," he says. "Guy, if you will kneel, please."

Guy keeps his face as neutral as he can and sinks to his knees. Luke steps forward -- he looks way too serious for his age, and a little nervous, too -- and reaches out to put his right hand on Guy's forehead. Pere makes a noise of some kind behind him, but Guy doesn't catch the words, because the fonist does something that brings the light back. More light, brighter and more intense, so Guy has to close his eyes, and a feeling of...of being _open_, being dizzy, like suddenly every way is up all at once. He flails for balance, but somehow it's happening all inside his head and his body doesn't move -- and then when he _does_ get his balance back, he can feel something else, too. Something that's there in his mind but not part of his mind, at the same time.

He opens his eyes. Luke was pretty pale before, but he's white as a sheet now, and Guy catches a little tremor in his hand as he pulls away. The look in his eyes feels sort of familiar, in a weird way, proud and scared at the same time.

"Well?" the duke says.

"I'm fine," Luke says.

Guy frowns, because it feels to him like Luke is -- he stops that thought in its tracks, but it's too late. That thing he can feel in his head, nestled up beside his own mind, is Luke fon Fabre. "I don't feel so good," he says.

"That's to be expected," the fonist says. "It's an unsettling experience, having one's fon slots opened in the first place, much less fitted for a connection of this sort. It should pass."

"No, really," Guy says. "I need to --" he doubles over.

Pere helps him up, apologizing on both of their behalf, and he and the butler hurry Guy out of the duke's presence so he can throw up.

He can feel how upset Luke is the entire time.

* *

Guy is sick for most of the next week, feverish and queasy. He stays in the Fabre manor, in a room in the servants' quarters, with Pere. The duke's fonist comes to look in on him sometimes, and says that he's doing well. He has to wonder what _not_ doing well would look like. Luke's emotions echo through his mind, sometimes clearer than others, but never totally gone.

By the time Guy's fever breaks, Pere has gotten to know the rest of the servants, and has gotten himself appointed to look after the gardens. Guy doesn't think they'll ever be as nice as the ones on Hod, but he wouldn't want them to be, anyway.

His own job, like the duke said that first day, is to be Luke's personal servant. First and foremost, he's supposed to see to Luke's needs around the castle, but they also want him to be kind of a bodyguard when he's older. That's why Duke Fabre had asked if he could fight. Guy gets to come along when Luke has sword-training lessons with the old royal armsmaster, and practice his own skills, too. Sometimes it's hard to keep a straight face at the sharp little burst of pride that rolls off Luke when their teacher praises him.

Guy expected...well, he expected the Fabres to be horrible in general, so he expected Luke to be spoiled and petty and mean. Instead, Luke is quiet and serious. Stubborn as a mule, and his mind is never as loud as when he's sure he's _right_ about something, but...not the nasty little brat Guy thought he'd be. He doesn't ask Guy to do things he could easily do himself, and he doesn't complain all that much about the way his parents never want him to take any risks -- gossip around the manor says they're overprotective because Luke is in the Score, the big one that only the Fon Master can read.

The fon-slot connection gets...a little easier to live with, as time goes by. It sort of has to, because supposedly trying to break it tends to damage people's minds really badly. It only goes one way, thank Yulia -- Luke doesn't have a window into _his_ head. The point is apparently to make sure that somebody would always know, right away, if Luke were in trouble. Guy gets used to it, after a few months. He still has all his own feelings, but there's also always the echo of Luke's, this place in his mind where he feels a little...held open. The duke's fonist tells him not to worry about that, promises he's not really exposed to anyone else's influence. The connection is actually supposed to prevent anybody else from being able to reach his fon slots. He's open, but only to Luke, Guy translates.

That seems to be happening in the other direction, too, in a more ordinary way. Guy doesn't even realize it at first -- Luke's just sort of quiet and private with everybody, right? But by the time that first spring has come around to fall, things are changing. Luke talks to him more, smiles at him every once in a while, starts acting like he wants to spend time with Guy. They try playing games, even, though hide-and-seek is only fun until Guy figures out how to use the connection to figure out where Luke is along with how he's doing. They have some pretty intense snowball battles that winter.

One time, halfway through the second year, Luke makes Guy go along with him and the princess, sneaking down to Baticul's lower levels. It turns out they want to meet ordinary people and see what their lives are like, not just run off to play games where nobody can scold them into more lessons. They come home talking about what they want to do to make Baticul a better city when they grow up. And Luke _means_ it. Guy can feel the determination.

Sometimes, it's really hard to remember he's only waiting for the best time to kill Luke.

The year that Guy is thirteen and Luke is nine, their armsmaster tells Duke Fabre they should get a new teacher. He's getting on in years and wants to relax, not try to keep up with their energy. Luke's excitement is a steady thrum in the back of Guy's head, even though his face is calm. He's proud of himself, and Guy lets some of that feeling spill over into him, too -- they've earned a little pride, right?

Duke Fabre writes some letters, uses his influence -- Guy doesn't know the details of how it happens. But he hears a lot of rumors about the new teacher even before he shows up: he's from the Oracle Knights, a young officer who's looking to make a name for himself, already an accomplished fighter. He's likely to be made a God-General within the year, and some people think he'll be Commandant some day. The maids unanimously insist that he's supposed to be handsome. None of the rumors prepare Guy for meeting him.

* *

There are voices coming from the audience room -- Duke Fabre's and another man's, rich and confident. Guy and Luke trade glances and then both walk a little faster, hurrying to meet their new master. Guy gets there first -- he's hit a growth spurt in the last year, and his legs are much longer than Luke's by now -- and pushes the door open, but Luke ducks into the room ahead of him.

"There you are," Duke Fabre says. "Luke, Guy, may I present Locrian Colonel Van Grants, of the Oracle Knights. Van, this is my son, Luke, and his servant, Guy."

It takes all the composure Guy has -- all the practice he's had -- to keep his face from giving him away. He _knows_ Van, or used to. Years ago. When...before everything went wrong. On Hod. "Pleased to meet you, sir," he says, and his voice cracks but it does that enough lately that maybe nobody will notice. He bows, probably lower than he should.

Van bows back. "The pleasure is mine," he says. "I'm told that both of you boys show a lot of promise."

Luke straightens, stands at attention beside Guy. "We still have a lot to learn, though," he says. "Sir."

Van laughs. His father's laugh sounded almost exactly the same. "Well spoken," he says. "Let's go out to the courtyard and see how you fare, shall we? I'd like to see for myself."

"Right," Luke says. He leads the way.

This is going to be a _lot_ harder than training with their old armsmaster, but that's probably a good thing. Van is a brilliant fighter -- of course he is, when his family were knights for generations. He does a practice bout with each of them, and he's not even breathing hard at the end of it, when Luke and Guy are both gasping. Guy tunes into the connection for a minute, and feels a little annoyance from Luke but mostly just awe. He grins. That's a lot like how he feels, too.

Later, Luke has lessons to get through -- as a servant, Guy doesn't get to sit in on those. If he wants to study, he has to do it on his own time. Mostly he saves that for the evenings, though, when Pere is free to answer questions that come up when he's reading. Some days he'll ask around and see if there's anybody else in the house who needs help with chores, but today he's out in the courtyard by himself, practicing footwork that Van demonstrated earlier.

A crunch of gravel makes him look up to see Van coming out to see him again. Guy straightens up. His heart pounds.

"Gailardia," Van says, quietly, like he's not entirely sure.

Guy's throat feels too tight all at once. "Vandesdelca," he says.

Van crosses the courtyard in two steps and _hugs_ him, and Guy flinches for a second just because he's not used to being touched, but then he's hugging back as hard as he can. "I'm so glad to find you alive," Van murmurs, right against his ear. "I didn't dare to hope."

"Yeah, I -- it's so good to see you," Guy says. He was so little when Hod...when it happened, all the memories from back then are fuzzy. But he thinks he'd be grateful to see _anybody_ who was important to House Gardios back then.

"How did you come to be here?" Van asks. "Are you...a prisoner?"

Guy shakes his head. He explains about his vengeance, stumbling over the words, awkward. It's hard to actually say it, after these last few years -- that he's going to kill Luke, going to kill Suzanne, going to show Duke Fabre what it's like. The words stick in his throat. But having Van there -- seeing the pride in Van's eyes when he says it -- makes it easier for him to remember. This is what he's here for.

He almost tells Van about the fon-slot connection, but then he can't quite make himself do it. He'd be embarrassed to tell someone like Van that he...that he'd let something like that happen to him. That he's gotten so used to Luke. That he's gotten so used to _worrying_ about Luke, and trying to make him happy.

The visit isn't anywhere near long enough, even though it's much more than Guy ever thought he'd be able to have. He has an ally, a friend, someone who made it out of Hod alive. He has somebody who looks at him and doesn't just see the Fabres' servant.

Before he leaves, Van kneels to Guy and kisses his hand. Guy's never felt that kind of pride for himself. It's better when it's his own.

* *

That year things start to get rough. Part of it is just growing up -- Pere says that everyone feels frustrated and unhappy at the age Guy is now. But Guy bets he still has more complicated problems than most people.

He looks forward to Van's visits a lot, but they make his life harder, too. When Van's around he thinks a lot more about his plan for revenge, and that means he has to try really hard to shut off the connection, because Luke _likes_ him.

That's not the only reason he tries to shut it off, either. Van gives them both private lessons when he has time. When it's his turn, Guy loves that plan -- Van makes him feel special, tells him how important he still is, reminds him of his pride. Sometimes they quit sword practice early and mess around a little, and that _really_ makes Guy feel special.

But when it's Luke's turn for a lesson, Guy hates their connection so much. All he gets from it is feelings, but that's enough. More than enough. He's pretty sure he doesn't want to know what Van's doing to make Luke feel so warm and proud and happy. He doesn't want to think about it at all. He's so jealous it's driving him crazy, but he's not quite sure which one of them he's more jealous of. And he can't ask Van about it, can't tell him to stop being nice to Luke, because then he'd have to explain why. Or how he knows how Luke feels. He still feels awful when he imagines Van finding out about that.

It makes him kind of mean, only that's awful, too. When he's thoughtless, he can feel how hurt and confused Luke is -- all the brave faces in the world won't hide that. So then Guy has to apologize, but that doesn't even make it better the way it should.

He's lucky nobody can read _his_ emotions, Guy thinks. He's gotten pretty good at smiling and being friendly anyway, but inside he's a mess. A big, ugly mess, with no idea what he wants.

* *

The manor's in an uproar when Guy wakes up. He reaches for the connection reflexively, and he's a little reassured by the feeling that comes back: Luke's excited about something, is...looking forward to something. That seems good. Guy takes his time getting dressed.

Only when he comes out of his room, the butler comes rushing up to him, hair askew, eyes wide in panic. "Have you seen Master Luke?" he asks.

Guy stops dead. "What?" he says. He tries to find Luke in his mind, and the feelings are there, but...he can't figure out where Luke _is_. All he gets is a sense of distance. "What happened?"

"He's been taken," the butler wails. "Kidnapped!"

"That's not -- are you _sure_?" Guy says. How can that be right? He doesn't feel upset, right? Wouldn't he be upset if he'd been kidnapped? But he's not the sort of person who'd just run away from home, so --

The whole house turns out to search for him, to search for clues. Duke Fabre takes Guy aside to ask him about the connection where other people won't overhear, and Guy stammers out what he can get from it, which isn't much. The king sends soldiers over to help comb the manor for evidence. Princess Natalia comes with them, even though she's too upset to do much besides cry. Guy can't blame her. He's barely holding it together himself.

Van arrives that afternoon, and he sounds horrified to get the news. Guy watches his face, looks for the signs that he's acting, and can't find _anything_ that gives him away. Somehow that makes it all worse. Van's expression and the tone of his voice are just right. Completely believable. Distantly Guy thinks he's felt like this before: numb, slow, paying too much attention to little things so he won't think about bigger ones. He felt like this after Hod.

Realizing _that_ makes him have to go sit down, makes him need to find a quiet, dark corner to hide in until the nausea passes. He thinks he can taste ash.

By the time he can handle...anything at all, Van has left again. He apparently promised to find Luke, swore he wouldn't stop looking no matter what, even if he had to mobilize all the Oracle Knights to do it. Guy wonders if he meant it.

Late that evening Guy realizes that not all of the fear weighing him down is his own. That makes it worse. He skips dinner, sits up wishing -- for once -- that the connection went both ways so he could try to send Luke some reassurance.

In the middle of the night there's a short stretch of terrible, disorienting pain -- the same awful vertigo as having his fon slots opened, but with a sharp hurt crackling through him at the same time. Guy curls up in his bed and sobs through it, and he's almost afraid to try to focus on the connection when the pain fades. If there's nothing there --

But there is, faint and quiet and flat. Hopelessness. Guy wipes the tears away, but they just keep coming.

Around the manor, people keep trying to have hope over the next couple of days, but the flat, resigned grief from Luke doesn't change. It doesn't seem fair. Guy can tell the others here that Luke is alive, but he can't let Luke know that they _are_ searching for him. He feels so useless. He should have known something was wrong, shouldn't he? He should have felt it when Luke wasn't gone yet, should have noticed in time to stop him or call for help or something. Anything.

On the third day after Luke disappeared, Van shows up at the manor with a boy-sized shape in his arms, wrapped up in his coat and tabard. The whole household trails after him as he heads for Luke's room -- Guy included, because something doesn't feel right. Luke is...less worn down today, in his head, more determined. But still _distant_. Not a few paces away.

Van unwraps his coat, revealing Luke's red hair, Luke's face, Luke's pale freckled shoulders. "I'm sorry I couldn't get there sooner," he says, shaking his head. "His body is unharmed, but his mind -- I'm afraid he's been through a lot."

Lady Suzanne starts to cry, and Duke Fabre says tightly, "What do you mean?"

"You'll want a doctor to see him, of course," Van says, "but it seems the shock has given him amnesia."

Everyone tries to talk at once and then Suzanne swoons. Her health has always been a little delicate, but she's doing really badly this week. In the chaos, Guy feels the numbness creeping up on him again. He watches this boy who looks just like Luke breathe. It can't be him. It doesn't feel like him. He looks at Duke Fabre and has to look away again. This is what he wanted, isn't it? To see his enemy crushed and suffering?

He flees.

Van finds him maybe half an hour later, when he's stuffed himself into a little stone alcove at the back of the courtyard. The sun doesn't reach back here, so it's cold. Guy doesn't care.

"It's not easy to do what must be done," Van says softly. He puts a hand on Guy's shoulder. "Be brave, Gailardia."

The only thing Guy can think of to say is, "What happened out there?"

Van shakes his head. "It's probably best you don't know," he says.

Guy nods. He can feel Luke in his mind, somewhere far away, desperate, striving for something he's afraid he can't do. He wonders what Van is feeling, under that calm smile. "I need to be by myself for a little while," he says.

"All right," Van says. He squeezes Guy's shoulder. "You can always come talk to me if you need to."

Somehow, Guy doesn't think he's going to take Van up on that.

He doesn't really come out of hiding until Van leaves, by which point "Luke" is awake and...doing pretty much nothing. He can't walk by himself. He can't _talk_. His big green eyes are completely blank when he looks at Guy, show no recognition at all. In the back of Guy's mind Luke is still there, still determined. Little spikes of panic come through the connection sometimes, and Guy holds his breath, stomach knotted, until relief follows them.

When the maids take over, watching "Luke," Guy goes back to his room to find Pere. "I need -- I need advice," he says.

Pere nods, almost a bow. "I'll do whatever I can."

Guy takes a deep breath. "I'm -- I don't feel very good," he says. "I thought it would feel...not like this. Better. Like a victory. But I hurt."

"Vengeance is an easy thing to want," Pere says. "But not always an easy thing to enjoy, once you have it." He looks Guy straight in the eyes. "If you've found compassion in your heart, my lord, I certainly won't think less of you for it."

"Thanks," Guy says. It's a relief to hear that, after Van. Pere was in Hod, too, and if he can still sympathize with the Fabres.... Guy's heart hurts a little less already. "I'm -- I think I need to talk to Duke Fabre."

Pere smiles. "It sounds like you do."

It's still pretty nerve-wracking to have to do this. But Luke must be worse off, and Guy can feel that he hasn't given up yet. He straps on his sword and goes to present himself to the duke.

Lady Suzanne looks sickly and hollowed out, and the duke has circles under his eyes like he hasn't slept in days. Guy bows to them. "Your grace," he says. "I humbly request a leave of absence."

Duke Fabre flinches like Guy just drew a sword on him. "How could you ask such a thing now?" he says. "Luke needs you more than ever."

"I know," Guy says. "He's still tuned to my fon slots. I know how badly he's doing. I want to go find him."

"You _what_?" Duke Fabre says -- not yelling, but really quiet, which is almost scarier. "_Find_ him? Who is that in his room, wearing his face?"

"I don't know who that is," Guy admits. "I don't know how it's possible for him to look like that. But he's not Luke. I can feel Luke. Out there somewhere. He's hurt and he's scared and he's trying to come home."

Suzanne starts to sob again, and even the duke looks heartbroken. "You're -- you're completely certain," he says hoarsely. "You're not -- grief plays tricks on people's minds, sometimes, makes you believe things when --"

"No, your grace," Guy says. "I know what I'm feeling." He makes himself go on, so he won't be _able_ to turn back. "I swear it on my father's sword. I swear on the Jewel of Gardios."

"You..." the duke says. Recognition dawns slowly on his face -- Guy's grown up a lot since he came here, and Pere says he takes after his father.

"I have every reason to want your family to suffer," Guy says. His hands tremble, and he clenches them tight. "When I first came here, I thought I wanted that. But I was wrong." He can taste fear in the back of his throat and hopes it's only his own. "I can't stand it when Luke hurts this much. Please let me go after him, your grace."

There's awful silence for a minute, while Guy waits for Duke Fabre to call the guards, or throw him out, or -- or just kill him right there. Then Lady Suzanne takes the duke's hand. "If there's even a chance," she says.

He nods once, and rises from his seat. "I'll get my sword."

Guy freezes. "Your grace?"

"My son is in danger," Duke Fabre says. "I'm going to his aid."

"R-right," Guy says. That'll make things a lot easier, won't it? He's getting pretty good with a sword, but he _knows_ what Duke Fabre is capable of. _Hang in there, Luke_, he thinks. _We're coming for you_.

They don't even wait to send a message to the king -- Duke Fabre changes out of his formal court dress into his uniform while Guy gathers up some quick supplies from the kitchen and then they're off, down through the rest of Baticul and out through the southern gate. It's spring, and this week has been pretty dry, so it's decent traveling weather -- the road's not too muddy, and the air isn't too hot or too cold. Still probably nasty at night, though. Guy hurries.

Mostly, they travel in silence. Sometimes Guy glances over and sees the duke watching him thoughtfully, but he doesn't seem to be in any rush to ask Guy questions. That's kind of a relief. Sure, Guy knows they _will_ have to talk about his plans and Hod and...everything, eventually, but right now he wants to concentrate on Luke. It's hard work, trying to track him through the bond from this far away. He's never _been_ this far away before.

Sometimes a monster or two will come out of the tall grass to try to bother them. Most of the time, Guy barely has a chance to hit back before Duke Fabre destroys them. It would be pretty scary, if he weren't on Guy's side. _Was_ pretty scary. Guy shakes his head, tries to keep focused. He's thinking about now, about Luke. About how Luke is scared and tired and...starting to worry, it feels like. He's probably afraid he won't make it all the way back to Baticul by himself.

"I think we're getting close," Guy says. "I can feel him more clearly."

"Good," the duke says. He's sheathing his blade after putting down an axebeak that strayed too close. "Is he unharmed?"

Guy winces. "He's hurting a little," he says. "But it's not really bad."

Maybe it's because he's already paying so much attention, or maybe it would have hit him that hard in any case, but all at once it feels like Luke reaches through the bond, grabs him by the heart, and _pulls_. Guy staggers.

Duke Fabre steadies him with a hand at his elbow. "What is it?"

"It's Luke," Guy says. "He's calling --" _me_ \-- "for help. Wishing somebody were there for him."

"What are we waiting for, then?" Duke Fabre asks. He sounds miserable. It must be hard for him, knowing Luke's in trouble and having to depend on somebody else to be able to help him.

Guy nods. "This way." He takes off at a jog this time, the duke right behind him. The bond pulls at him, dragging him along, until he almost hurts with the drive to do what Luke needs. It's easy terrain around here, mostly flat with only a few gentle hills, so they make decent time. Guy's still starting to get short of breath, though, by the time they come over a hill and he knows he _has_ to turn off the road. He heads into the tall grass, drawing his sword, because he can hear something snarling up ahead and Luke's panic is running high.

Duke Fabre overtakes him just as they reach the battle, where a pack of wolves have Luke cornered, snapping and snarling, trying to get in past his defenses. Guy hacks at one of them, wincing when his blade bites -- it's so _different_ from hitting a practice dummy -- and it yelps, turning to face him. But Duke Fabre is wading right into the middle of the pack, sword flashing, and light's starting to build around him. The wolves snap at him, but he doesn't even seem to notice, much less feel any pain. Guy holds his breath, the hair standing up on the back of his neck. He can hear the low, fierce tone of the duke's voice, and he thinks it's possible the duke is about to unleash an arcane arte --

And then Duke Fabre raises his voice and calls, "_Radiant Howl_," loud and clear like he's commanding troops, and the whole field around them blazes up with light -- spears of it shooting up from the ground, a hot wind gusting through the clearing, the light so bright Guy has to shield his eyes.

In its aftermath the wolves are just _gone_. Luke stands there staring at them, breath heaving, bruised and scratched but still standing. "Father," he says. "_Guy_."

For a second, Guy doesn't feel anything at all through the connection, and then Luke's relief hits him so hard it makes his knees buckle. "Luke," he says, dropping his sword, running over to hug him. "Luke, you're okay."

Luke clings to him, hands fisting tight in his shirt, shaking. "You," he says, "Van said you -- Van said n-nobody would -- would come for me."

"He was wrong," Guy says. "He was wrong about so much."

Before he can say any more, he feels arms around _him_, Duke Fabre holding on to both of them. He doesn't know how he feels about that -- this is all too strange, things changing too much -- but he can feel how desperately grateful Luke is, how lonely he's been and how much he needs his father's love.

"We're here for you, Luke," Duke Fabre says. "I don't ever want to lose you." Luke sobs. Being this close to him when he's feeling something so strong is making Guy a little choked up himself, and maybe -- he leans into them both a little harder, holding on. Maybe being part of this has something to do with it, too. He's trying not to look too hard at what Luke is feeling right now, but some of it is definitely for him, and it's _warm_.

They can't stand out there hugging forever, though, no matter how nice it feels. Eventually Duke Fabre lets go, and Guy makes himself let go of Luke, even if he still can't make himself get more than arm's reach away. Duke Fabre gives Luke some gels for his injuries -- and gives one to Guy, too, even though Guy doesn't really need it -- and Guy makes them some food before they start for home. Just sandwiches, though, because they don't want to waste time, when the sun's well past its peak already. Still, Luke wolfs down his sandwich like it's the tastiest thing ever. Guy takes that as a compliment.

On the way home, Guy hangs back a little, trying to give Luke room to talk to his dad. He catches bits of the conversation, though, Luke talking about how he escaped, how he knew which way to go, and Duke Fabre telling him how much everybody will be glad to see him come home. It makes Guy kind of feel good, to hear them talking, to feel the last of Luke's misery ebbing away.

It feels even better, though, when Duke Fabre looks back at him and smiles as he says, "And it's thanks to Guy that we were able to find you so quickly." He pauses long enough to let Guy catch up to them. "We owe you -- House Fabre owes you a great deal, Guy."

Guy ducks his head. "You don't have to make such a big deal out of it," he says. He's not used to feeling like this at all. "I wanted to do it."

Luke takes his hand and holds on. "Thanks, Guy," he says. He doesn't let go.

By the time they make it all the way back to Baticul, it's well past sunset, and they're only allowed in through the gates because the guards recognize Duke Fabre. Luke is so tired Guy can barely keep _his_ eyes open, and they sort of lean on each other as they take the elevator up to the city's top level.

The first of the white knights to see them coming raises the alarm -- is it still an alarm when people are happy to see you? -- and by the time they reach the front door of the manor, the entire household has turned out to see them return. The maids are clustered along one side of the front hall, the knights standing at attention. Luke radiates disbelief.

"Didn't realize everybody liked you so much, huh?" Guy says quietly.

"Shut up," Luke whispers, his pleased embarrassment washing through the connection.

The sea of servants parts for Lady Suzanne, in her dressing gown, who looks like she's just been roused from bed. "Luke?" she says.

Luke lets go of Guy's hand. "Mother," he says stiffly. He takes a wobbly step toward her. "I'm sorry I worried you."

She sweeps forward and catches him in a hug that looks almost as fierce as the duke's. All the servants cheer. Guy lets out his breath in a quiet sigh. He looks past their reunion, and sees Pere watching him from the back of the crowd. When he meets Pere's eyes, Pere smiles, nodding. It's a proud-of-you look, and Guy smiles back.

Despite how tired Luke is, they can't go straight to bed. First it seems like everyone in the manor has to come see him and welcome him home, and then Luke insists on a bath -- he had to fight his way through a marsh on the way home, and he does kind of smell like it. The cook reopens the kitchen, makes a huge plate of honey-glazed chicken, and stands there beaming while Luke attacks it like a boy who hasn't had a hot meal in days. Guy sticks close -- he doesn't want to let Luke out of his sight after everything, and Luke doesn't seem to want him to go anywhere, either.

It's late by the time people finally let them head off to bed. Somebody has gotten the replica moved into a guest room, so Luke can sleep in his own bed. When everyone else has said goodnight, Guy still lingers. He would feel silly about it, except that the bond between them is still pulling at him, so he's pretty sure he's welcome.

"Anything else I can do for you?" he says.

"Don't go," Luke says. When he puts it in words, the pull on the bond doubles.

"You want me to stay here tonight?" Guy says.

Luke nods. "Please," he says, like it just occurred to him to add that part.

Guy smiles. "Of course," he says. "That's what I'm here for." He kicks off his boots, unbuttons his vest and hangs it on the chair. Luke drops most of his clothes in a pile on the floor, but Guy figures he can't really fault Luke for that just this once.

They both climb into Luke's bed -- it's big enough, but they still have to get pretty close to both fit. Guy drapes an arm over Luke's middle, and warmth floods through the connection.

"That's what you want, huh?" Guy says. He's pretty sure that tomorrow there's still going to be a lot of important stuff to figure out, with Luke's replica and the Fabres knowing about him and...everything else, but all of that can wait. Tonight this is enough. "Don't worry. I got you."

Luke squirms closer, tucks his head under Guy's shoulder. "Don't let go," he says.

"Done," Guy says. He closes his eyes, buries his face in Luke's hair. That's an easy request. They both want that one.


End file.
